Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay, but I've been really really busy this week. I had a lot of tests to study for and a term paper that screamed for me to work on it a little. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up tomorrow. But if I don't, its cause I'm still working on it. Chapters from here on out will be longer. The story is progressing now.

Chapter 7

Willow stood outside Sunset's stall and watched silently as Buffy sobbed into the colt's neck. Willow opened the stall and entered, making just enough noise to cause Buffy to look up at her. Willow's heart went out to her and she rushed to her side and drew her into a gentle hug.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry." she whispered, running her hand over Buffy's back, trying to reassure her friend.

Buffy sniffled and pulled away from Willow, "Its ok. Perhaps its for the best. I mean, its obvious me and Riley don't belong together. Its just-"

Willow cut her off holding up a hand, "Buffy, I'm only going to say this once. I know that you are hurting. But Riley doesn't understand. He never had. And I don't think he ever will. Your heart is here, with the horses. And whatever he wants, its not what you want." She offered her friend a weak grin, "So, what exactly happened?"

Buffy rested her head on Sunset's neck, "He asked me to marry him."

Willow's eyes went wide in shock, "He asked you to marry you? Are you kidding me?"

"I kid you not." whispered Buffy with a sigh, "He asked me to marry him and go to Europe with him for three months. I told him that I couldn't leave, that I wanted to be here with Sunset during his training. And he kinda went nutso on me, telling me to quit using horses as a excuse. And I told him that we shouldn't be together. And he didn't even try to convince me otherwise. Does he not want me? Is that it? Am I undesirable?"

"No, that's not it. Don't think that. Riley is a asshole." said Willow, hugging her friend again, wanting to stop the next flow if tears.

"Yeah a asshole who didn't want to be with me." said Buffy, playing with Sunset's mane.

Willow sighed and shook her head, grabbing Buffy by her shoulders and giving her a little shake, "Elizabeth Anne, don't you go all depress-y on me. You have so much to deal with now, Sunset leaving and helping your parents. You don't need to get all depressed cause Riley was a asshole and didn't fight to keep you. He'll realize his mistake of leaving you and regret it for the rest of his life. And while he's all mopey you can be celebrating Sunset's racing victories. You can have what you want. If you sit around and wait for him you won't have nothing. And Riley would win after all."

Buffy stared at her friend and knew that she was right. It didn't even hurt that he left, it hurt because he felt like he didn't need to fight for her. It was like he didn't love her and after what happened between her and her first love, some guy she met at a horse show, it hurt that he didn't love her. She sighed and patted Sunset one last time, looking at Willow, "You right. And it doesn't hurt that he left, it hurts because I don't think he loved me."

"He's a fool then. Forget him. Besides, I saw the looks that Spike has given you, so don't sit there and tell me that your going to miss Riley."

Buffy blushed and a smile teased her lips, "Well I will miss him a little. He was a sweetheart."

At that Willow turned her head and snorted. At Buffy reproachful look, she offered her a fake apologetic smile, "If you say so. Come on, lets go find Spike and Dawn and the 'rents."

Buffy nodded and kissed Sunset on his nose and giggled when he blew in her face. Willow laughed as well and the two girls linked arms and headed outside into the sunshine. Spike looked up from where he was talking with Dawn and noted the tearstains on Buffy's cheeks. Buffy locked eyes with him and raised her hand to her cheeks when she saw where his gaze was. She pulled away from Willow, "I'll be back. Let me fix my face so my parents wont worry."

Willow nodded, "Yeah you do that."

Buffy walked off her ponytail bouncing as she ducked inside the Summers' ranch style house, heading up to the bathroom she shared with her sister to cover up the tearstains with makeup. Spike watched her leave, the look of longing so evident in his eyes that Willow nudged him in the side. He blushed and looked sheepish.

Willow just nodded and watched him knowingly. Spike smiled to himself, taking a immediate liking to the redhead. She already showed a fierce loyalty towards Buffy and he admired that trait in a person, being a loyal friend. Plus she really seemed to love her horses and took excellent care of them both. Plus she had that cute innocence that just glowed around her.

He already had a had a overprotective brotherly feeling towards Dawn. She seemed way eager to prove herself, that she could be just as good as her famous sister. She had been telling him about her horse Catch Me If You Can, Catch Me for short, and how they would win all the same jumping events that her sister had, including the big one at Madison Square Garden in New York. She positively beamed when he suggest that while they were in New York, they could come by Saratoga and he would take her out on the track.

He was trying to come up with something to say when two things happened. Buffy came walking back out, her clothing entirely changed from jeans and a shirt to another pair of jeans that were painted on and a cream colored turtle neck. Her blonde hair bounce around her face in waves. The second thing that happened was Willow squealed and raced towards a boy who had just arrived, throwing her arms around him in a manner much like Buffy had with Riley.

The new boy had sandy blonde hair that was sticking up, but not in a poofter way like Angel McCormick's, but in a cool way. The guy didn't even crack a smile when Willow hugged him, but Spike could see the love in his eyes. The two joined Buffy and made their way over to Spike and Dawn.

Dawn leaned over and whispered in his ear, "That's Oz, Willow's boyfriend. He does stable work for us and teaches some beginners classes. He's like a Max and Red all rolled into one." At Spike's blank and confused look she giggled, "Max and Red…the Saddle Club books."

"Never heard of them." he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Gee, crack a book. The Saddle Club books are just about the best horse series written other than the Thoroughbred books." said Dawn nodding towards her sister, "Buffy has the entire Saddle Club collection and Thoroughbred collection. But don't tell her I told you. For some reason, she feels that her childhood books are worth mentioning now that she is 18."

Spike's attention perked up, "She's 18?"

"Yeah didn't you know?" asked Dawn, looking up at the blonde jockey.

Spike smiled down at her, for the first time noting the adoring look in her eyes. A crush, Dawn was developing a crush on him. He had to find a way of letting her down easy, and maybe enlisting her help in ensnaring her older sister. He patted her shoulder as the three approached them, "And here I was thinking she was 16."

Buffy heard it and looked at the two, "Thought who was 16?"

Spike smirked, "You."

Buffy's mouth fell open and Dawn dissolved into a fit of giggles. Even Willow smiled while Oz remained stoic and Buffy jabbed a finger at Spike, "I am not 16. I'm 18 thank you very much. Why on earth would you think that I was 16. Dawn's 16."

"Because your so short. I thought Dawn was 18." said Spike, causing the brunette to beam.

Buffy fixed her lips in a pout, giving Spike the thrill of imagining leaning over and nipping the pouting lower lip, "I'm not short. I'm petite."

"Each to their own." was Spike's safe and only response. Then Willow stepped forward motioning towards her boyfriend.

"Spike, meet Oz. Oz this is William Giles, the jockey, but he prefers to be called Spike."

Spike offered Oz his hand, "Nice to meet you Oz."

Oz took his hand and they shook, "Hey." The man then turned to Willow and gave her a kiss on a kiss on the cheek, "I'll talk to you later. I have stalls to clean and a class to prepare for."

Willow nodded and turned to watch him walk off in the stables. She stared so long at his retreating form, a little smile played over Buffy's lips as she leaned over and whispered in her friend's ear, "Like what you see?"

Willow looked back at them and saw all three staring at her and blushed, looking now. Then she looked back up with a mischievous gleam in her green eyes as she ran a hand through her hair, "Always."

Buffy laughed and Willow joined her. Spike looked at Dawn and rolled his eyes causing her to grin. When Buffy finally stopped laughing she looked at Spike, "So what do you want to do now?"

Spike shrugged and glanced around for the parents, who were heading for the stables, "Looks like the parents are heading in to take a look at Sunset. We can join them."

Willow shook her head, "You guys can join them, I have to go study for my exams and then come back and take Moondust through the dressage test."

Dawn checked her watch and swore, "Damn. I'm late for my show." She waved a goodbye to Spike and ignored Buffy's warning about swearing and took off towards the house for her morning cartoon shows. Spike looked at Buffy and offered her his arm, "May I escort you?"

Buffy snorted and pushed his arm away, "May you stop acting like a fool?"

"Only if you stop acting like a bitch." he said cheerfully, moving to join Hank, Joyce and Rupert, leaving her to stare after him. She joined them and walked in on Spike telling his father about the colt.

"He's a great colt, Dad. Perfect conformation and muscling. He'd be a great racer." Spike was saying as she joined them.

Hank smiled, "That's what we thought."

They started to walk into the barn. Buffy went ahead of them to bring Sunset out of his stall for Rupert to see. She grabbed the lead shank and went into the stall, patting Sunset and clipping the lead to his halter. She led him out as the adults came up. She held him as Rupert looked over him, occasionally running a hand over the colt, checking his muscling and bone structure.

"He's a beauty. Legs are strong. He's got all the qualities of a race horse. You've tried him over jumps?" he asked, pulling his glass off to clean them, looking back at Hank.

"Yes. We broke him end of December beginning of January. Then we tried him over jumps on a longe line." said Hank.

"He was choppy. Didn't like the jumps and hesitated going over them, refusing them sometimes too." offered Buffy, rubbing her wrist absently.

Rupert nodded, "Never actually rode him over jumps?"

Hank shook his head, "No usually when we are training a horse to jump, we take them over the jumps on a longe for a month or so, then start them with riders. We never put a rider up until the horse has some experience jumping with a longe, that way the horse wont get scared and throw the rider or spook and run, causing a bigger accident. Sunset hasn't been ridden over jumps. But we could tell by the way he was with the longe that he wouldn't be a good jumper. But he loves to run and he's got the speed."

Spike looked at his dad, "If we take him up now, we can train him through the rest of this season and during the summer and he'd be ready for the fall two year old season."

Rupert nodded, "I was thinking the same thing." He looked over at Hank, Joyce, and Buffy, "You have a extraordinary horse here. He has the bloodlines of a racer. I think that with the proper training, he will be one of the best racehorses this decade. Question is, are you sure you want to do this? Racing has its risks, from not winning to a accident that can be fatal."

Buffy paled at the word fatal, not wanting anything to happen to her beloved colt, "Fatal?"

Spike looked over at her and noted her paled face, "Hardly fatal, but some racing accidents can be fatal. Its not common but they do happen. Fatal for horse and rider."

She just nodded and turned her attention back to the colt, offering him a carrot from her pocket. Sunset lipped it up and chewed it then blew in her face, blowing carrot scent at her. Buffy laughed and hugged the horse before leading him back into the stall. When she exited, her parents were talking to each other and she joined the trainer and jockey.

They stood there in silence waiting for Joyce and Hank to join them. About ten minutes later, Buffy's parents joined them. Hank looked at her daughter once, and Buffy saw the decision in her fathers eyes and nodded, letting him know that she was behind them one hundred percent.

"Rupert, we can ship Sunset up the Saratoga tomorrow with you and William." he said.

Rupert smiled and nodded, "I was hoping you would say that. Its not everyday that a trainer gets a chance to train such a magnificent animal."

Buffy hesitated then spoke up, "I want to go with them. Stay in New York to be with Sunset and watch his training. I can fly home on the weekends, or every other weekend to see you guys. But I want to be with Sunset."

Joyce protested, "But where would you stay?"

Spike coughed then raised his hand, "I have a spare room in my apartment. Buffy is more than welcome to stay with me. Or with my father, he's already offered his spare room to her. She is more than welcome to stay with us. And she would be well watched after."

Buffy glared at him, "I don't need a baby-sitter, I'm more than capable of taking care of my self."

"I have no doubt in that pet, but you would be in new surroundings and at a race track most of the time. And sometimes a track isn't the safest environment for a young lady such as yourself." said Spike.

Hank nodded, "He's right Buffy. If you were to go to New York, your mother and I would feel safer if you were with either Rupert or William."

Buffy was about to protest again when Joyce interrupted, "He's right honey. I would be worried sick if you were up there living by yourself."

Buffy groaned, "Fine I'll stay with Mr. Giles…" She trailed off catching Spike's leer, "Rupert, that is."

Hank and Joyce nodded, "Then you can go." Buffy squealed and launched herself in her parents arms, hugging them tightly.

"Thanks mom, dad. I promise to call everyday and write letters. And you guys will be up there beginning of March for the Madison Square Garden show. We can meet and hang out and stuff."

Joyce laughed, "Wouldn't miss it in the world. But you should go pack the stuff you want to take. I've got to get ready for my classes for the day, then I can come help you."

Buffy nodded and took off to the house. Joyce departed and headed to get some of her students horse's ready for the lessons. Hank looked at Rupert and Spike, "I've got some things to do and to get ready for Sunset's departure but you two are more than welcome to hang around here and check out the lessons."

Rupert shook his head, "Thank you Hank, but William and myself are going to head out to the track and catch some of the day's races and meet with some other trainers."

Hank nodded, "Well you are both invited to dinner here tonight. And we have some guest rooms you can stay in instead of checking into a hotel. It's the least we can do since your taking our daughter in so she can stay with Sunset. She really does love that colt. And he favors her as well."

Rupert just waved him off with a hand, "Its nothing. I have a feeling that Buffy will contribute a lot to Sunset's training. We'll see you later tonight."

Hank nodded and walked off to his office. Rupert and Spike went back out to their truck and drove off just as Joyce was leading her first class of young teens out to one training ring. Rupert looked over at his son, "I think this is going to be a great couple of years for us. With Sunset and Galahad."

Spike nodded, his thoughts going back to Buffy and how happy she looked when her parents said she could go to New York. That made it easier for him to convince her that they were right for each other, despite their differences in horses. He looked over at his dad and grinned, "I think your right Dad. Its going to be a great year."